# Is it correct to call the mouse pointer a cursor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853 "2010-05-18T02:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/1 "2010-05-18T02:56:36Z")
I call the mouse pointer a _pointer_. The blinking line or box in a text field is a _cursor_. Some people call the mouse pointer a cursor. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursor_%28computers%29#Mouse_cursor) seems to presume this as the majority view, as it doesn’t even mention the _pointer_ alternative. But in the [Discussion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Cursor_%28computers%29#Cursor_or_Pointer.3F) on Wikipedia’s page, there is mention that Microsoft’s Manual of Style for Technical Publications says the arrow is the _pointer_. While the Windows documentation refers to the mouse pointer as the _cursor_, and calling the text cursor the _caret_. I think having two different computer features, especially ones so closely connected, with the same name just adds unnecessary confusion and complication. What’s the proper name for the mouse pointer? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/2 "2010-05-18T03:26:07Z")
Who cares what johnny-come-lately Microsoft / Windows think it should be called? [The Mac Folklore site](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=mouse&as_epq=&as_oq=cursor+pointer&as_eq=&num=10&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.folklore.org&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=off) as searched by Google indicates that on the platform that HAD mice back when the PC had just an amber A:\> prompt, it was called a cursor. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/3 "2010-05-18T03:30:09Z")
There is no one ultimate, proper, universally agreed-up name for it. “Cursor” can mean just about anything that indicates a position; that’s what they called the glass slider on a slide rule with a hairline on it to locate a position on the scale. So the little arrow can be called a cursor; it’s also certainly a pointer. It’s also a “little arrow.” The symbol showing the text position is just as much of a cursor. Or pointer. I will say, though, that I’ve never heard “caret” used this way. The caret is the symbol above the 6 on a keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/4 "2010-05-18T05:12:40Z")
Pointer to me makes no sense, as the cursor doesn’t always point at anything. (See the I-beam cursor when you hover over type.) I just use mouse cursor and keyboard cursor if there is any perceived ambiguity. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/5 "2010-05-18T05:28:24Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Pointer to me makes no sense, as the cursor doesn’t always point at anything. It’s not called a pointer because of its arrow or hand icon shape or because it points _at_ things, it’s called a pointer because it shows the location of your mouse, like the end of a [pointing stick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointer_%28rod%29). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/6 "2010-05-18T06:15:38Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > It’s not called a pointer because of its arrow or hand icon shape or because it points _at_ things, it’s called a pointer because it shows the location of your mouse, like the end of a [pointing stick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointer_%28rod%29). That _is_ ‘pointing at things’. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/7 "2010-05-18T06:24:39Z")
I vote for “mouse cursor” vs “cursor.” ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/8 "2010-05-18T06:35:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > That _is_ ‘pointing at things’. No, it’s the symbolic end of a pointing thing, not the act of pointing at things. At least in so far as the “icon changes to text indicator” that **BigT** was referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/9 "2010-05-18T07:03:00Z")
Cursor is the technical term for a thing that indicates where an action should be taking place. Compare the mouse cursor to the command-line cursor to the database cursor. Cursor is the right term. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-correct-to-call-the-mouse-pointer-a-cursor/539853/10 "2010-05-18T19:13:29Z")
_Cursor_ means “runner”. With your mouse your make it move or “run” (not curse :)).